Shawn's forging shed

[CBLindsay]

Great looking work...definitely got my brain going. I see an order in my future. I’m sure the wife will want something for the general decor but I’m thinking blades and (like Dave) strop hardware and hooks.

 

[Quijote]

You do beautiful work.

 

[ShawnF]

Shawn dropping some knowledge here.

Don't you swear at me like that.

Great looking work...definitely got my brain going. I see an order in my future. I’m sure the wife will want something for the general decor but I’m thinking blades and (like Dave) strop hardware and hooks.

Thanks Chris!
You guys have really got me thinking now on what to do for a strop hook. Something like a coat hook is pretty easy, but I'm trying to think of something that would be a little more unique.

You do beautiful work.

Thank you Don!

 

[Sskim3]

Very cool! How do the kitchen knife edges hold up after moderate use? Do you have to sharpen often? When things are less hectic, I gotta look for a new chef's knife. Someone in the kitchen ruined the tip on my mine even though it's still very usable, it is just annoying. LOL

Ditto on the strop hanging hardware. Would be cool to have one with our forum logo on it. Commission work, maybe???? ?

 

[NurseDave]

Wrought iron is an iron alloy that isn't fully fused and contains bits of slag. It was very common in almost anything that didn't need to be hardened before steel became easier to make. It has a grain in it that you can see if you etch it or if you over stress it.
Modern "wrought iron" items are just made from mild steel.

Technically, the term "wrought" means "to work". So wrought iron is "worked iron". So you really weren't that far off. If you look on blacksmithing sites though they tend to refer to the old grainy iron as wrought. Neither is wrong obviously, but the specifics of what you are talking about broaden or narrow depending on who you are talking with.

I had no idea. Now what is "spring" steel?

 

[ShawnF]

I had no idea. Now what is "spring" steel?

High carbon steel from truck leaf springs.
Admittedly a little of a mystery alloy as manufacturers differ, but it is most likely 5160, 1084, or 4140. The steel I have seems to be 5160 as it is a little more brittle before tempering. The alloys are very similar but without doing comprehensive lab testing, or having a foundry sheet, I can't say for 100% certain the exact alloy.

 

[ShawnF]

Very cool! How do the kitchen knife edges hold up after moderate use? Do you have to sharpen often? When things are less hectic, I gotta look for a new chef's knife. Someone in the kitchen ruined the tip on my mine even though it's still very usable, it is just annoying. LOL

Ditto on the strop hanging hardware. Would be cool to have one with our forum logo on it. Commission work, maybe????

Thanks Tom!
I've been using them for a couple months now on everything from veggies to slicing up pork loins and such with no issues at all.
All of my knives are made from the same steel and heat treated/tempered the same, so if this helps any, I shot this today.

https://youtu.be/0j4FoQp_jEU

I'm still thinking on a strop hanger. As soon as I come up with a suitable design I'll make the prototype, then we can see where it goes from there.

 

[Smattayu]

You do great work, Shawn. The video is a good testament to the quality, and I dig that SR.

 

[McVeyMac]

Way cool Shawn. I have had a hankering to learn to forge steel for the past six or seven years. Murray Carter runs a forging school several times a year, but man is it expensive.

 

[ShawnF]

You do great work, Shawn. The video is a good testament to the quality, and I dig that SR.

Thanks Eric! I've always felt a knife isn't worth the time if it won't hold an edge, so I try to make them to the absolute best of my abilities.

Way cool Shawn. I have had a hankering to learn to forge steel for the past six or seven years. Murray Carter runs a forging school several times a year, but man is it expensive.

Thanks Walt! Murray makes some beautiful stuff. His attitude and excuses over his FIF show kind of put me off, but I won't deny the man is a master craftsman. Jay Neilson is very close to me, but same thing. So expensive just for a one day course.

Honestly, jumping straight into knives isn't the easiest thing. There are quite a few tricks I learned the hard way and I am still learning a lot with every project. Normal forging is a lot easier to learn. Mild steel moves a lot easier than high carbon steel, so it is much better to learn basic hammering and drawing methods on. It's also more forgiving in temperature range as well. If you work high carbon steel too cold it will break, mild steel just doesn't move as easily. Then you add heat treating and tempering into the mix and it adds a lot more chance to break or ruin your project.
Tongs, hooks, and little things like that are great starter projects and a lot can be learned from them. And it can be done for very little money actually. You don't need a 500 pound anvil and 3 burner forge to start. You can use a box of dirt and an old sledge hammer head and actually make some useful stuff.

 

[NurseDave]

High carbon steel from truck leaf springs.
Admittedly a little of a mystery alloy as manufacturers differ, but it is most likely 5160, 1084, or 4140. The steel I have seems to be 5160 as it is a little more brittle before tempering. The alloys are very similar but without doing comprehensive lab testing, or having a foundry sheet, I can't say for 100% certain the exact alloy.

Now that's some cool recycling.

Can I just point out that on TV they cut a can in half and then cut a tomato. I'm not sure you're using the correct test for video ?

 

[CBLindsay]

10 points if you shave with that knife after hacking at the wood. Choice of lather and aftershave is yours

 

[NurseDave]

10 points if you shave with that knife after hacking at the wood. Choice of lather and aftershave is yours

I think the rule is, if you double dog dare him, he has to do it.

 

[ShawnF]

Man I screwed myself there didn't I...... Now I have a challenge to accept. Let me see about that. I might take it on when I have some time.

 

[ShawnF]

No new fancy photos to show today. But I did say this was going to be a journal of sorts.
So I went out the other day and started to do some work in the shop. Was doing a little grinding while waiting for the forge to heat and testing my brand new just came in that day grinding belts.
My grinder has those plastic/poly/whatever junk drive wheels on it. One melted and messed up one of my new 36 grit ceramic belts.....

I have a bit of a temper and I know it, so I just shut things down and left it alone. Went the next day to get a new belt sander to hook up my attachment to. Drove to the closest place which is a half hour away. Got one, brought it home, got it half way out of the box and the cast iron base is broke....
Next day, call them, drive all the way back up there, but I did come home with one that works now.

After moving 9 oak doors at my dads shop multiple times to run them through the sander 3 times, then replacing some plumbing at my father-in-law's, I finally got to get my stuff hooked up tonight.
I was a little hesitant with this sander as it has a little smaller hp motor than the first one, but it actually is a lot stronger. I need to build a brace for it because the build design is a little different and it twists a little under pressure. That messes with my tracking on my belts.

Overall I think it's going to work just fine though and I should be able to light my fire and do something now haha.

 

[GearNoir]

Bummer about the rough start with the new belts. That’d be pretty defeating to happen first thing.

Hope the new set up works well though!

 

[ShawnF]

Bummer about the rough start with the new belts. That’d be pretty defeating to happen first thing.

Hope the new set up works well though!

It wouldn't have been too bad, but the ceramic belts are about 3 times the cost per belt as the aluminum oxide belts, and I only have 2 of that grit. I did put that one on today after I got set up though. It didn't ruin it so I was happy about that.
I bought just a couple of those and another type. I'm still going through the "see what works best" stage so I didn't order a lot. The 36 grit is my workhorse though. I do most of my heavy work with those and so far these ceramics look like they are going to work very well.

Tomorrow I have to get a few feet of angle iron and make a more permanent brace, then I have a cutter to forge, and a few ideas to try. More on those soon if they work out right.

 

[Smattayu]

Ugh, that sounds like a trial. I tend to head to the workshop in a get-to-it mode, and that kind of thing can be very frustrating. Good to hear that it's worked out, and hopefully the new ceramic belts are everything you want them to be.

 

[ShawnF]

Ugh, that sounds like a trial. I tend to head to the workshop in a get-to-it mode, and that kind of thing can be very frustrating. Good to hear that it's worked out, and hopefully the new ceramic belts are everything you want them to be.

I'm the same way. When I get out there, I'm ready to go. Although, my belt sander going might have actually been a good thing. I bought a 3/4 horse direct drive when I got it originally. Figured that would be stronger and give me better power. It was surprisingly easy to stall out.

When I got the replacement, it is only a half horse motor, and belt driven. It is surprisingly hard to stall out believe it or not. And it has aluminum drive and tracking wheels instead of that plastic stuff. The only downside I have found so far is that in an upright position that I need it to be in for my attachment, it twists a little under pressure. That messes with the tracking.
I think if I build a bracket and attach it to the top, I can prevent most if not all of the twisting.

 

[dangerousdon]

Sorry Shawn for all the troubles...but I like that you are very resourceful and just keep at it. It shows to your good character. Glad the ceramic belt wasn't ruined. I just looked up a couple for comparison and those things a quite a bit more than the others. I am sure they are worth it though!